
Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante collects himself on the mound Wednesday, July 9, 2025, as the Nationals鈥 Amed Rosario is congratulated while rounding the bases on a home run in the fifth inning of a game at Busch Stadium.
Coming off one of his strongest outings of the season after tossing seven scoreless innings in his previous start, Cardinals starter Andre Pallante matched a season-high in runs allowed when he took the mound vs. Washington on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.
The offensive onslaught allowed by Pallante began with three runs in the first inning on a homer by Nathaniel Lowe. It continued with three runs allowed in the fourth inning and included a solo homer run in the fifth inning from Amed Rosario that left Pallante with seven runs allowed across six innings in the Cardinals鈥 8-2 loss to the Nationals.
The last time Pallante gave up as many run as he did on Wednesday night was one June 3 against the Royals. Pallante had allowed two runs in his previous three starts, a stretch that included 18 innings of work in starts vs. the Reds, Cubs, and Pirates, but saw the Nationals surpass that total five batters into Wednesday鈥檚 game when Lowe yanked a homer to right field.
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Of the 25 balls the Nationals put in play against Pallante, seven were hard hit balls with exit velocities at or above 95 mph, per Statcast. Of the seven hard hit balls, five had exit velocities above 106 mph.
With Pallante鈥檚 outing, Cardinals starters have combined to allow 22 runs through 23 1/3 innings in their last turn through the rotation. That stretch has raised the Cardinals team ERA by its starting staff to 4.30 through 93 games this season.
Relivers John King (1 1/3 innings) and Matt Svanson (1 2/3 innings) covered the remaining inning after Pallante鈥檚 exit.
A Cardinals offense that ranked 20th in batting average (.233) and tied for 19th in on-base plus slugging percentage (.662) when facing left-handed pitchers was limited to one run in six inning by Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore. The lone run the Cardinals scored against Gore came in the first inning on a single from Alec Burleson.
The only other run outside of Burleson鈥檚 RBI the Cardinals received in the loss came on a single from Masyn Winn in the seventh inning. The run by Winn came against right-handed reliever Cole Henry, who gave up two hits and walked a batter in his lone inning.
Homers hurt Cardinals
Having allowed one homer in his previous five starts heading into Wednesday, Pallante was hurt by two vs. the Nationals.
The first lifted Washington to a lead. The second added to that lead four frames later.
One out away from stranding runners at first and second base to end the first inning, Pallante left an elevated 1-1 knuckle curveball to Lowe that Lowe pulled over the right field wall for a home run that had a 106.9 mph exit velocity, per Statcast. Lowe鈥檚 homer left Pallante with one of his two three-run innings.
In the fifth inning, Rosario jumped on a 1-2 fastball from Pallante to give his team a 7-1 lead with a solo home run that traveled 434 feet to left center field.
Before taking the mound on Wednesday, the only home run Pallante had allowed in a stretch of five starts that spanned 28 1/3 innings was a solo homer to Cubs first baseman Michael Busch on June 26.
The Nationals received a third home run after Pallante鈥檚 exit.
James Wood, a first-time All-Star, belted a 433-foot solo home off lefty reliever John King with one out in the seventh inning. Wood鈥檚 homer had a 115.9 mph exit velocity making it the hardest hit ball in Wednesday鈥檚 game.
Washington widens lead
In between the first inning homer from Lowe and fifth inning blast from Rosario that combined for four of the seven runs off Pallante, the other three runs the Nationals scored on Pallante came in one frame.
Led off by a Josh Bell double that had a 109.8 mph exit velocity, Nationals hitters put together four consecutive hits to open the fourth inning and tallied a fifth hit with one out to help them to a three-run inning.
Two of the hits Pallante allowed in the fourth inning came on his fastball. Two, including a two-run single from Alex Call, came on his slider.
Gore gets into a rhythm
After the Cardinals pushed across their lone run in the first inning on a single from Burleson, they were held scoreless against Gore from the second inning through the sixth inning. Their only success against the left before his exit after six frames included three hits and a walk.
A walk from designated hitter Yohel Pozo, which marked Pozo鈥檚 second walk in 88 plate appearances, and a single from Lars Nootbaar put two runners on base with two outs. The scoring opportunity ended with a strikeout by Pedro Pages, who whiffed on a 1-2 curveball in the dirt.
Winn鈥檚 two-out double on a soft line drive that dropped into right field put a runner in scoring position for Willson Contreras after Victor Scott II and Brendan Donovan struck out to begin the inning. Contreras鈥檚 at-bat ended on four pitches with the last being a 95.4 mph fastball the got the Cardinals first baseman to whiff to end the inning.
In today鈥檚 10 AM 鈥淭en Hochman鈥 video, Ben Hochman discusses Cardinals optimism due to the upcoming schedule! Plus, a happy birthday shoutout to Jos茅 Jim茅nez! And as always, Hochman picks a random Cards card out of the hat!
Photos: Cardinals look for two in second game of three against the Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals Brady House and Alex Call celebrate two runs scoring on Wednesday July 9, 2025, as 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages laments the play in the third inning of a game at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante collects himself on the mound Wednesday, July 9, 2025, as the Nationals鈥 Amed Rosario is congratulated while rounding the bases on a home run in the fifth inning of a game at Busch Stadium.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante throws to Washington Nationals batter Josh Bell on Wednesday July 9, 2025, in the fist inning of a game at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals runner Willson Contreras crosses home plate on Wednesday July 9, 2025, after an Alec Burleson single RBI in the first inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante regroups at the mound on Wednesday July 9, 2025, after giving up a three-run homer to Nathaniel Lowe, who crosses home plate in the first inning of a game at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

Washington Nationals and former 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals infielder Paul DeJong signs autographs before the game on Wednesday July 9, 2025, before his team plays the 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals infielder Willson Contreras sets for a batter on Wednesday July 9, 2025, in the first inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals infielder Willson Contreras shatters his bat on Wednesday July 9, 2025, in the third inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

Washington Nationals batter Amed Rosario is congratulated by teammates on Wednesday July 9, 2025, after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning of a game against the 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante attends a meeting at the plate on Wednesday July 9, 2025, with pitching coach Dusty Blake and the infield in the fourth inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals infielder Nolan Arenado fails on a bare-handed play on the ball on Wednesday July 9, 2025, in the fourth inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante collects himself at the mound on Wednesday July 9, 2025, as Washington Nationals runner Amed Rosario is congratulated rounding bases on a single home run in the fifth inning of a game at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante throws on Wednesday July 9, 2025, in the sixth inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young misses a ball hit by 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals batter Lars Nootbaar on Wednesday July 9, 2025, in the seventh inning of a game at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.

最新杏吧原创 Cardinals runner Lars Noobaar scores on Wednesday July 9, 2025, off a Masyn Winn single in the seventh inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创.